Person

Christopher Alderson was baptised at Sacriston St. Peter’s parish church on 26 February 1896, the eldest son of Jonathan and Mary Alderson. His father worked as a mason at the local colliery. He had four younger brothers, Henry, William, John, and Thomas. In 1911 the family was living at Oliver’s Buildings in Sacriston and Christopher was working as an underground pony driver.

Christopher joined the Durham Light Infantry territorials as a part-time soldier before the war began. He enlisted as Private 43174 in the 5th Battalion DLI on 30 June 1913.

The Chester le Street Chronicle reported him wounded on 4 May 1917. There is no information about the nature of the wound, or how it occurred, but Christopher was awarded a Silver War Badge and survived the war, finally being discharged from the Army on 28 April 1919.

His name appears on the Sacriston Workingmen’s Club roll of honour.

North East War Memorials Project website
http://newmp.org.uk/detail.php?contentId=8524

Images from the Chester le Street Chronicle newspaper are reproduced by kind permission of Chester le Street Heritage Group
http://www.chesterlestreetheritage.org/page8.html

Civil Parish: Witton Gilbert

Birth date: 1896

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Oliver’s Buildings, Sacriston

Employment: Miner, underground pony driver

Family: Father: Jonathan Alderson
Mother: Mary Alderson
Brothers: Henry Alderson, age 13; William Alderson, age 9; John Alderson, age 9; Thomas Alderson, age 4 (1911 census)

Military service:

Private 43174 in the 5th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Enlisted: 30 June 1913 (Silver War Badge roll)
Discharged: 28 April 1919 (Silver War Badge roll)
Reported wounded: 4 May 1917

Gender: Male

Contributed by Sacriston Heritage Group | Durham County Record Office | Jack Mulligan and Lewis Cooper, York St John Uni | Miriam Hanks |